Overview

Explore If

There's something about the University of Oregon. Everything. In an exceptional academic community surrounded by a city alive with music, culture, food, and art--and Northwest of normal enough to keep things interesting.

Deep in the woods, between a winding river and the Cascades lies an oasis of innovation and discovery. Populated by scientists, champions, explorers, builders and storytellers. And Ducks--who aren't afraid to try, fail, and try again, collaborating and finding a better way--together. In a beautiful place that encourages students to ask "what if?"

Join a Community of Curious Collaborators

Find possibilities and creativity everywhere on the UO campus. Not just in the obvious places like the art department, the School of Music and Dance, in journalism, architecture, or theatre arts. Creativity is part of who Ducks are, which makes perfect sense because this is the birthplace of all kinds of innovation, including Nike. It all started here--literally--in a little room under Hayward Field with a waffle iron and a couple of guys who dared to ask, "what if?"

With more than 270 majors and minors to choose from, Ducks have a world of inquiry at their webbed feet. The UO's education program is among the top 15 in the country. If. Three of UO's law programs are in the top 10 in the nation. Sports marketing? It's not a competition, but UO is number one. A comic studies program? The first and only in the country is here. If something more scientific appeals, the UO is at the nucleus of integrative science studies. Whether it's math and chemistry or theoretical science and nanotechnology, UO has something that will make the nucleus accumbens of a science student's brain light up.

It's no accident that the College of Arts and Sciences is at the heart of the university. Every UO student graduates with a broad-based liberal arts and sciences degree, regardless of major. Ducks learn to question critically, solve problems, and communicate clearly--the skills that 93% of employers say are more important than an employee's major.

UO's School of Journalism and Communications, headed by Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and journalists, leads the way in the idea industry for studying brands, media, design, and creative culture. Students get to spend summers in Alaska on the Climate Change Reporting Project and go to Ghana to study media in developing markets.

In the Lundquist College of Business, students manage real investments, launch real startups, and work on real problems for real companies. It's just one of the reasons amazing companies are interested in hiring UO students when they graduate.

The UO's Museum of Natural and Cultural History houses a 10,000-year-old pair of sandals. The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art has extensive holdings of Orthodox icons and Asian art; and the Knight Library houses the personal archives of counterculture novelist Ken Kesey, class of '57.

Ask the Tough Questions

UO is deeply committed to research--asking good questions that take students to new and better places. Exploring ways to help people live more sustainably. Chemistry faculty found ways to teach chemistry that creates the least possible toxic waste. Then they taught green chemistry to the world. Recent studies in neuroplasticity have helped parents to better equip their children with language, emotional regulation, and other basic life skills. UO researchers are envisioning the possibilities for people with Parkinson's disease. And undergraduates are doing original research into the organisms that impact diseases in people's guts.

Know where to go fishing for answers? Try the Zebrafish International Research Center, where 80,000 fish provide genetics researchers with insights into how autism develops in living organisms in real time. The Institute of Neuroscience leads the way in autism spectrum disorder research that has the potential to result in prevention and cures.

Green--Just One of UO's Favorite Colors

At the UO, being green means more than just wearing it or recycling. The UO is one of only 11 schools to make the Green Rating Honor Roll. Buildings across campus were designed to be extraordinarily efficient and built with sustainable materials. America's Best Architecture and Design Schools 2015 named the UO the No. 1 sustainable design practices and principles program. The Lillis Business Complex is lined with photovoltaic cells that can generate 44,000 watts of electricity to power the university. Being green also means getting out and getting things done. Like the Institute of Ecology and Evolution's cutting-edge research on climate change and mosquito genetics.

Eugene was voted one of the greenest and bike-friendliest cities in the U.S. The campus is an arboretum, with more than 4,000 trees representing 500 varieties. Sure it rains here.

Folks call it "liquid sunshine." It's what keeps it so green. But the temperatures are typically mild, which means outdoor activities can--and do--happen year-round. The best time to visit? How about now?

Live Here and Learn Everywhere

Everything here is designed to build an inclusive environment of collaboration and innovation. UO residence halls aren't just filled with beds and microwaveable noodles but with students sharing ideas and perspectives. Ducks join First-Year Interest Groups that bring people together based on powerful ideas and provide opportunities to interact with and learn from each other. In the Global Scholars Hall, students have access to immersive language programs, peers from different cultures, and resident scholars, ready to help take any discussion to a whole new place.

Want to become a world-wise Duck? The UO offers 190 study abroad programs and 150 global internships around the world. Learn about people, practices, creeds, and cultures in amazing places around the world. The International Student Association has 3,000 students from more than 90 countries. Ducks don't just look different, they think differently--to generate better ideas and then make something extraordinary--together.

Humans' insatiable need to explore, to experiment, to connect--that's what fuels everything at the University of Oregon. It's what makes us ask, "What if?" It's what makes Ducks Ducks.